Apparatus for storing stacked articles



i- 5, w; J. GIBBS 2,251,876

APPARATUS FOR STORING STACKED ARTICLES Filed Sept. 23, 1940 2 ShBQtS-Shfifit l Aug. 5, 1941. I, w. @1553 2,251,876

APPARATUS FOR STORING STACKED ARTICLES Filed Sept. 23/3940 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 swam bot m'za'am J 61268,

Patented Aug. 5, 1941 APPARATUS FOR STORING STACKED ARTICLES William J. Gibbs, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 23, 1940, Serial No. 358,025

6 Claims. (Cl. 312-71) This invention relates to a device for holding and feeding stacked articles of uniform size and weight. -More particularly, it relates to improvements in unitary storage and dispensing apparatus of the type shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 311,199, filed December 27, 1939 (Patent No. 2,226,308).

An object of the invention is the provision of an improved storage unit for housing and dispensing stacked articles so that the uppermost unit of a stack of articles is always presented for removal from the device at a predetermined level with the underlying units guided in a protected position for automatic upward feeding upon the removal of the uppermost article or articles from the stack.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a simplified device with improved carrier guiding means and the provision of a unit of the cage type which can be more easily cage with spaced guide bars and a vertically movable cooperating carrier motivated by a calibrated compression spring. The device may be arranged for individual use or it can be employed in single or multiple arrangements in apertured horizontal supports such as counters or cabinets or the like. The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description having reference to accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals have'been used to represent like parts central vertical section of the base and spring assembly of Fig. 1.

spaced vertical guide rods 2 and a annular upper supporting member 3 in the form of a ring or collar. The cage structure, in the interest of saving weight, is made preferably from aluminum or aluminum alloy, although other materials may obviously be employed. The base i is provided with a plurality of equally spaced laterally extending lugs bored to receive the lower ends of the guide rods and has on its upper side an upwardly extending annular flange 5 defining a centralized spring receiving recess. -The vertical guide rods 2 are preferably rectangular in cross section and each has the lower end thereof reduced by machining to define downwardly facing shoulders and the threaded extention 6 for insertion through the bores in the lugs of the base. The rods are detachably clamped in their vertical upright position to the base by nuts I threaded on the extremities of the rods with the shoulders defined by the reduced threaded extensions engaging the top of the base. The rods, at their extreme upper ends have their edges rounded to provide smooth surfaces and at their tips are given an outward bend or cast to provide the outwardly flared portions 8 to facilitate passage of articles through the top of the cage.

The guide rods are transversely bored and countersunk at a predetermined distance from their upper ends for attachment to the annular collar or ring 3.- The ring 3 has a depending annular portion 9 and a horizontal outwardly extending peripheral flange-portion Ill defining guiding and seating surfaces whereby the ring may be inserted and positioned in'a horizontal apertured support to be supported therein by the horizontal flange. The support S may be any apertured horizontal member such as a counter Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken view in section showing the carrier guide and stop arrangement:

Fig. 7 is a view or a modified form inclusive of enclosing casing and supporting base.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the device of Fig.7. Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, comprises a unitary cage structure consisting of a base I,

or cabinet top orthe like. In its supported position, the unit is so arranged that themajor part thereof depends below the supportawith he top or dispensing portion extending above the support. The collar or ring is machinedon the inside at points corrresponding'to' the spacing of the guide rods to provide vertical recesses or slots of less depth than the thickness or the guide rods to receive the guide rods, and the depending portion 01 the ring is bored and tapped at the bottom of the slots to receive the flat head machine screws IZ anchoring the rods to the ring. The position of the ring on. the guide rods is such that the upper ends of the rods extend some distance above the top of the ring and a surrounding support to provide upwardly extending positioning guides affording hand openings therebe- -,-tween the guide bars. article or articles from the top of the stack, the

directed guide arms I6 preferably corresponding in number to the guide rods of the frame, and a depending annular flange II of outside diameter adapting it for insertion into the upper end of spring i3 which seats on the bottom ofthe carrier in restrained position between the depending flange and the carrier ends of the guide arms. The load carrying disc portion of the carrier is of such size as to permit free vertical movement out of contact with the guide rods. The carrier guide arms l6 extend beyond the periphery of the disc portion and at their extremities are provided with vertically extending bearing portions H which are vertically slotted to provide guiding and sliding engagement with the guide rods of the cage. The slots areoi' sumless than the thickness of the rods so as to provide overlapping engagement with the bottom of collar 3 at the extreme upward position of the carrier. Thus the bottom of the ring or collar 3 cooperating with the upper ends of bearing portions of the guide arms which straddle the rods define stops limiting the upward movement of the carrier. When the guide arms are in abutting engagement with the lower face of the depending portion of the supporting ring or collar, the upper surface of the load carrying disc of the carrier is substantially flush with the upper surface of the ring.

The straddling bearing portions of the carrier guide arms prevent any tilting, jamming or side movement of the carrier regardless of the size of spring employed,thus providing an accurate linear movement of the carrier between the guide rods. The spring i3 is of such stock and design as to provide for full compression of the spring without causing the spring to bulge intermediate its ends. Each spring employed is calibrated for articles of a given weight so that, with a stacked cient width to provide free up and down move- .ment of the carrier and are of a depth slightly load of articles on the carrier, the uppermost unit of the stack will always be presented for removal from the stack at a predetermined level within the upper extended ends of the guide rod.

While operation of the device will have become apparent from the foregoing description, it is to be noted that the loadingof the device is accomplished by placing the stacked articles on the carrier through the open upper end. The spring is compressed in accordance with the load on the carrier and to such an extent that the uppermost article of the stack presents itself for removal at a position at the top of the unit be- With the removal of an spring automatically expands to raise the stack a given distance for each decrement in the weight of the load. The entire assembly provides a novel unitary storage and dispensing structure accommodating in protected manner a maximum number of articles in a minimum of space, thus avoidingbreakage and obviating the necessity of a user stooping or reaching upwardly over shelves and the like. For cleaning it is only necessary to remove. the unitfrom its support after which it may be subjected to ordinary washing in any known manner.

An individual seli supported unit is provided by the modified structure illustrated in. Fig. 7. The storage and dispensing unit there shown is identical with that previously described except for a modified base structure which is provided with the radially extending feet adapted to support the device on the floor. The unit is further modifiedby providing a cylindrical enclosing casing providing covering protection for the stacked units on the carrier.

While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the words which have been used are words of description rather than of limitation, and that practice of the invention within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention in all of its aspects.

I claim:

.1. In a device'of the character described for feeding and storing stacked articles, an elongated cage structure having a base portion, a plurality of spaced upwardly extending guide rods and a top portion surrounding said rods and fixed thereto adjacent their upper ends to provide extension of the rods beyond the top portion, a carrier for a stacked load of articles arranged for vertical movement between said guide rods, said carrier having outwardly directed bearing portions slidably engaging said rods between said base and top portion, and a compression spring disposed between said carrier and base portion to support said carrier and a load of stacked articles cage structure having a base portion, a plurality,

of spaced upwardly extending guide rods and a top ring-like portion surrounding said rods and fixed thereto adjacent their upper ends to provide extension of the rods beyond the top portion, said top portion having an outwardly directed peripheral flange for suspending the structure from a surrounding support, a carrier for a stacked load of articles arranged for vertical movement between saidgu'ide rods, said carrier having outwardly directed guide members slidably engaging said rods between said base and top portion, a calibrated compression spring disposed between the base and carrier to support the carrier and a stacked load of articles thereon, said spring being adapted to expand a given distance for each given decrement in the weight of the load so that the uppermost unit of the stacked articles will always be presented for removal at a predetermined level.

3. In a device of the character described for storing and feeding stacked articles, a base member, a plurality of upstanding spaced parallel guide rods detachably secured at their lower ends to said base member, a top member surrounding said guide rods and fixed thereto aifiacent the upper ends of the rods, said rods extending above said top member to provide short guides for articles above said top portion, a carrier vertically movable between said rods adapted to carry a load of stacked articles and having outwardly extending guide arms slidably engaged with the guide rods, and having portions underlying said top portion for engagement with the top portion in limiting upward movement of the carrier, and a compression spring interposed between the carrier and base member adapted to support the spring and a stacked load thereon, said carrier being calibrated and adapted to expand and raise the carrier and articles thereon a given distance for each given decrement in the weight of the load to always position the uppermost unit of the stack at a predetermined level with respect having a horizontal peripheral flange for supporting the unit in a surrounding support, a

carrier for a load of stacked articles arranged for vertical movement between said guide rods, said carrier having a depending spring retaining flange and a pluralityof outwardly directed guide arms having bearing portions slotted vertically v/ for sliding engagement with said guide rods, said bearing portions having ends underlying said top member to limit upward movement of the carrier, and a calibrated coil spring disposed between the base and carrier positioned by said flanges for supporting the carrier and a load of articles stacked thereon, said spring being so arranged as to expand a given distance for a given decrease in the load on the carrier whereby the uppermost unit of a stacked load is always presented at a predetermined level at the top of the unit.

5. In a storing and feeding unit of the character described, a base, a plurality of spaced parallel vertical guide rods detachably secured at their lower ends to said base and having their upper ends flared outwardly to facilitate passage of articles between the ends of the rods, a top member surrounding said rods and fixed thereto at points below their flared ends, a carrier for vertical movement between the rods having outwardly directed guide arms slidably engaging the rods to prevent tilting of the carrier, a compression spring disposed between said base and said carrier, said spring being calibrated and arranged to support the carrier and a load of stacked articles of uniform weight thereon with the uppermost unit of the stack at a'predetermined level at the top of the unit, and means on said base and said v carrier for maintaining said spring axially of the unit.

6. In a unitary device for storing and feeding stacked articles, a plurality of spaced parallel vertical guide rods of rectangular cross section having outwardly flared upper ends and reduced threaded lower ends, a base member receiving the threaded ends of the spaced rods and fixed thereto, said base having on its upper side an upstanding annular flange spaced inwardly from the rods, an annular supporting top member provided with spaced vertical rod receiving slots of less depth than the thickness of the rods and an outwardly directed peripheral supporting flange, means for securing the top member to the rods at points below their flared ends, a carrier for guided vertical'movement between the rods, said carrier having a plurality of downwardly and outwardly directed guide arms having their outer end portions in slidable straddling engagement with said rods with end portions of the arms underlying the annular top member to limit upward movement of the carrier and a centralized depending annular flange spaced inwardly of the guide arms. and a coil spring between the base predetermined level with respect to the top portion.

WILLIAM J. GIBBS. 

